Our Story: Norm Thomson

I’m considered a professional by my peers in the departments that I excel in be it senior consultant/inspector, project management, construction manager, procurement, environmental, or Aboriginal relations. I do these projects with multiple companies and yes it is a tight group composed of upper management in the oil and gas industry. The key point is, we all work together as a team. The approach that I’m noted for is, “let’s look at the end result. The end result is that we need to put a pipeline, plant site, or project in place. So how do we bridge the differences of opposing parties to achieve the goal where everyone involved is successful?” There is no doubt it is getting more challenging, but it’s not impossible.

I am an aboriginal who was born and raised in BC, so when it comes to my home province and the BC environmental issues, let me be the first to say that BC is the most beautiful province by far. So I understand the merits of the NDP. Having said that, I have always been in awe of the beauty that I witnessed by a lakeside, coastline, and mountains… no matter what government party is behind the steering wheel.

However, the NDP should see the merits of positive progress and change. We are not out to destroy the environment. Nobody in their right mind wants to do that.

In 2015, when oil and gas took a massive blow, I lost work, lost some credit cards, it created huge internal family problems, and most importantly…I was losing my dignity. I don’t wish that feeling on my worst enemy. What kept me afloat was that I was not the only one and I believed that our government will make sure that they will fix this situation as fast and safely as humanly possible because it is the right thing to do.

The case being, when everyone in the oil and gas sector was losing everything, I thought okay I can still go to work on the environmental side of things because I have an Oilfield Reclamation Major Diploma. Wrong. There wasn’t enough work or money to fire up that engine.

Here are eight facts which are undisputed:

1. Nobody wants to see fellow Canadians suffer.2. If oil is at $65 barrel, we get maybe $30 a barrel because we can’t get it out of the country.3. By allowing these projects this is a chance for 100% success for everyone including the NDP and the environmentalist. Canada will not be one of the leaders on the world stage, it will lead the world on that stage.4. We will start getting full price for our resources. We can share the profits with government and industry. The result will be more money to understand and implement the regulations that need to be done for future projects.5. If I’m funded by an outside organization to protest against positive change for my country or province, I would have to say that you are not a true Canadian and you have decided to take an easier road in life.6. Just imagine if we started to get full price for oil and not just half as it currently is. The funding that government and environmental groups would get would be staggering.7. The outcome will have two major factors, not only will Canada be the leader on the world stage but they will share and hold hands beside our Canadian environmental regulations. That’s right, we will have all the bases covered and believe me when I say that the rest of the world will applaud us for breaking new ground and creating a new standard.8. Even the countries that like to keep us divided so they can make tremendous profits, and keeping us under their thumb, will applaud us. No matter who you are, you will have to give credit to someone or something when credit is due. The rest of the world will adopt, adapt, and adhere to our way of doing business… Why, because we all share the goal of a better standard of living.

So please, let’s sit down and give a little and take a little. At the end of the day all we want is to take a positive step in the right direction. You may never be fully right in your decision, but if you can find balance within the team of the opposition…well, you have my respect because you are genuinely trying to make a better Canada. Let’s let the world know that Canada is going for the number one spot in the energy industry because the environmentalists have our backs. And let’s let the world know that Canada is going for the number one spot in environment regulations because the energy industry has our back.

If we can bridge the difference and get working, I’m sure that I can speak for others when I say, “Thank you for seeing the possibilities that lay ahead for us, and you just earned my respect wholeheartedly.”
Once again, just for the record, I have hundreds of immediate First Nations relatives by blood and hundreds of caucasian relatives by blood…I just want a better Canada.
(Undisputed!)